Chikako
Chikako (チカ子, also spelled チカコ), created by Fujio Akatsuka, is a minor character appearing in the Osomatsu-kun franchise. She most prominently appeared in the series Akko-chan's Got a Secret! although she had actually originated in Akatsuka's Ohana-chan, ''as a friend of the titular character. She tends to show up as a sort of girlfriend and rival to Chibita, or as one of the children in the neighborhood. Overview Chikako is a mischievous girl, known for her wide knowledge of rumors and ways of spreading them about. In her very first appearance in ''Akko-chan, she was assumed to be a girl the same age as Akko, but simply shorter. As Chibita and other smaller child characters' ages vary upon setting, hers does as well, particularly due to the later anime adaptations putting her around the age of a first or second-grader. Personality & Characteristics Appearance Chikako is a small girl, with her hair worn in a dark bob-cut hairstyle. In earlier appearances, her fringe is cut straight across and her hair is in a blunter, neater shape. But as time goes on, her fringe is depicted less even and her hair appears slightly longer. She wears a flower on either side of her head, and has characteristically large, round glasses. She is often seen wearing some sort of lacy-collared dress with a single button, and a pair of sandals. The dresses are sleeveless in summer seasons, while longer-sleeved for winter. Her earliest cameo in the first chapter of Akko-chan showed her to instead be wearing a sweater and long skirt. Personality She is curious about rumors and information going around town, and has her own information network. However, she can't necessarily be trusted with any secrets, as they will soon be told in favor of her getting money out of selling them. When she sees some type of scandalous act going on, she will incessantly bribe and threaten those involved as a way to get paid, or to get them to appease her in some fashion so she won't spill the information. In Osomatsu-kun, her role is more of that of a trickster and rival to Chibita, being cunning and making him to go to great lengths to find a missing handkerchief in the first story she has a major role in. Relationships Chikako is seen around Chibita a few times in the manga, often set as a friend or a rival that he attempts to win the affections of. She is shown to be difficult to please, and tends to be the one more in control. In the Akko-chan series, she becomes closely associated with Kankichi and Ganmo, with them forming a trio of small kids. This closeness is solidified by the anime adaptations having them be the "2nd grade trio" and getting into situations. Her family never really appear in either of these series, although her mother does appear in Ohana-chan a''nd in ''Otasuke-kun. She is a tall, stern woman with large glasses and facial features much like her daughter, but wears her hair tied back into a bun. History Osomatsu-kun (manga) She was first seen at a violin concert headed by Chibita(キーコとひこうバイオリ), Osomatsu-kun volume 6, eBookJapan., but was formally introduced in "Chibita Wants a Brother""Chibita Wants a Brother" (チビ太はほしいおにいさん), Osomatsu-kun volume 7, eBookJapan. as a friend who threatened to stop playing with him if they didn't have their matching handkerchiefs. After losing her own handkerchief, Chikako decided that Chibita would be the one to buy them both a new set. A small child resembling a prototypical version of Shosho (a later character in Akko-chan) can be seen playing along with them in the chapter. She returned in a later story (ふきかえつかってプロポーズ), Osomatsu-kun volume 10, eBookJapan.as a trouble-making girl who angers the sextuplets when she fools them, leaving Chibita to want to get revenge on them due to his feelings for her. The sextuplets learn of his crush and make fun of him, but they and Iyami participate in his attempts to win her affection, only for each to end in failure. In the end, Chibita realizes how Chikako was manipulating him and having him get into trouble for her own amusement, and refuses to help her the next time she cries about having been bullied. He instead kicks her, leaving her angered. Chikako later appeared as a background character in the "Captain Mom" story, being one of Matsuyo's many pirate girl minions"Captain Mom" (キャプテンかあちゃん), Osomatsu-kun volume 23, eBookJapan.. She was also present in a crowd scene in "Parody Version of Treasure Island", as one of many children visiting the theme park. In the 2nd run, also known as New Osomatsu-kun, she appears briefly as a background child enjoying the sight of Iyami's enlarged buttocks. Her design is modified to have a clear bucktooth sticking out. Osomatsu-kun (1966 anime) The story with Chikako's third cameo is adapted into the episode "Chikako and Chibita", and follows along the same themes and plot as the original chapter. However, the episode "Chibita's Oden Neurosis" marks a bit of departure from the chapter it was based from, with Chikako instead taking up the role of Chibita's friend that hates oden (Nanako). Osomatsu-kun (1988 anime) Although an anime design for Chikako is shown in a pocket tissue merchandise for the series, she does not appear in a significant role in the actual anime (likely due to Toei having their plans for an Akko-chan remake). However, her design is briefly seen in a crowd of people witnessing the injured Chibita in episode 17. The second Toei anime of Akko-chan would air later that year in October, sharing the same network (Fuji TV) as Osomatsu-kun. Her hair was colored to be red, as opposed to the black hair seen in the original manga and her -kun cameo. Trivia *Her name can also be seen rendered as "Tikako" in English lettering, due to the duality of チ representing either "ti" or "chi" in romaji. *Chikako's 1966 Osomatsu-kun actress, Mari Kitagawa (北川 麻理), is also seen in the credits as having understudied Ichimatsu and Todomatsu at another point in the series. Keiko Yamamoto, her actress in the later adaptations of Akko-chan, had also been involved with other Akatsuka-based anime; Choromatsu and Karamatsu in the Studio Zero -kun, Bakabon in the first two Bakabon series, and Ataro in the first ''Extraordinary Ataro ''anime. References External Links * Chikako profile at Koredeiinoda (Japanese) Category:Female Characters Category:Minor Characters